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trin's review against another edition
1.0
Res gave this one a thumbs-down and I really should have listened to her. But I was like, “It’s a homoerotic ghost story! There’s gotta be something in there I’ll like!” Uh, yeah. No. There really isn’t.
All the characters in this book make incredibly irrational decisions, which is especially annoying in the case of the narrator, whose head we’re supposed to be in. Yet we never get to see any of his thought processes. It’s a really baffling way to tell a story—I felt so disconnected from what was happening. The adults are also all dumb as posts, leaving me without a single real-seeming person to follow through this slow and meandering narrative. Adam’s a high school student who hates his family and hates his life, so he befriends a ghost and starts to fade away himself. I could see how this could have had a nice tragic, melancholy feel, but instead it’s just so frickin’ emo—like a Dashboard Confessional album that NEVER ENDS.
You know, [book: Vintage], which I read last year, actually has a very similar plot. I had some issues with it, too, but they are so very minor in comparison. If you’re looking for a queer ghost story, I would definitely point you in that direction instead.
All the characters in this book make incredibly irrational decisions, which is especially annoying in the case of the narrator, whose head we’re supposed to be in. Yet we never get to see any of his thought processes. It’s a really baffling way to tell a story—I felt so disconnected from what was happening. The adults are also all dumb as posts, leaving me without a single real-seeming person to follow through this slow and meandering narrative. Adam’s a high school student who hates his family and hates his life, so he befriends a ghost and starts to fade away himself. I could see how this could have had a nice tragic, melancholy feel, but instead it’s just so frickin’ emo—like a Dashboard Confessional album that NEVER ENDS.
You know, [book: Vintage], which I read last year, actually has a very similar plot. I had some issues with it, too, but they are so very minor in comparison. If you’re looking for a queer ghost story, I would definitely point you in that direction instead.
iguana_mama's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
margeryb's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book I wanted to like more than I did. When professional reviewers say this is an original take on a ghost story, they are completely accurate. This doesn't follow ghost story tropes. It really is it's own thing, so I do want to commend the author on that. There is definitely originality, thought, and depth on the part of the author. These are all things I profess to like, but I just didn't find this book compelling. There were some passages that were really compelling to me but a lot that I ended up skimming. A lot of cool concepts, for example, how Adam (the main character) was giving words and stories to Jaimie (the ghost) to sustain him. Maybe what bothers me is that it didn't build up to one culminating point. It's a much more low key story.
Part of me wonders if what Adam was going through in the novel was supposed to be a metaphor for grief or depression, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable pressing that interpretation onto the story (although it makes the most sense to me). In conclusion, I feel like there is substance to One For Sorrow, but that it didn't connected to me as the reader.
Part of me wonders if what Adam was going through in the novel was supposed to be a metaphor for grief or depression, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable pressing that interpretation onto the story (although it makes the most sense to me). In conclusion, I feel like there is substance to One For Sorrow, but that it didn't connected to me as the reader.
macaronireads's review against another edition
5.0
I am about to reread this book again and i have decided to write this review about it since i have lost count on how many times i have read it over the last 6+ years. I first discovered this book through the movie adaptation because i was watching through cameron monaghan’s filmography. the movie was good and i saw that it was based off of this book. i bought the book second hand and i cant even begin to describe how i felt when i read this for the first time. it is the most beautiful piece of literature i have EVER read in my entire life and i have been reading chapter books for almost 20 years. whenever i am in a bad headspace, i read this book as an escape and it brings me back to life every time. this book means everything to me and the second i finished it, i bought the rest of the books he has written (which are all 5 stars to me). every thing about this book is perfect to me and i will not accept any criticism on it. i have read it so many times that my copy is all beat up and full of highlighted quotes and tabs. i even bought a journal when i read it the second time around so i could write about my favorite parts of the book. i wish i still had the journal. i am so thankful that this book exists and i will continue to recommend and talk about it for as long as i live.
ireadthatmovie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
turtleearrings2002's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
_oblivia's review against another edition
5.0
l'ho finito in treno... oddio che libro strano.. però gli ho messo quattro stellette lo stesso... perchè adam se le merita per il viaggio che ha fatto e perchè non ha abbandonato jamie, non l'ha dimenticato ma è riuscito ad andare avanti, e perchè girasole è una parola bellissima *-*
cmq... di cosa parla questo libro? della morte, della speranza, dell'amicizia, dell'amore, della famiglia, del fatto che si può sempre correre e di un viaggio; un viaggio che il protagonista fa sia materialmente che a livello interiore, cercando di trovare un suo spazio nel mondo, una sua tranquillità che non può essergli data da qualcun altro perchè: <[...]Forse la luce che può darti qualcun altro può bastarti per continuare a vivere, ma io avevo bisogno di vedere la mia luce, non quella di qualcun altro[...]>
Sarà che in questo periodo sono particolarmente sensibile a storie di questo genere o che il protagonista l'ho preso subito in simpatia perchè anche se non sa dove sbattere la testa va cmq sempre avanti ma il libro è molto scorrevole e piacevole.
deathbear's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
crowyhead's review against another edition
4.0
One for Sorrow is a unique ghost story that goes in some unexpected directions. When Adam McCormick's classmate, Jamie, is killed, Adam finds himself obsessed with Jamie's death and the friendship that the two of them could have shared if they hadn't both been so hesitant. When Adam learns that Gracie, the girl who found Jamie's body, has been seeing Jamie's ghost, he purposefully seeks her out. What follows is a strange almost-love-triangle, as Adam is torn between his loyalty to Jamie and his love for unpredictable Gracie.
There's so much stuff going on in this novel that it occasionally feels a bit bogged down, but in the end it's a wonderful coming-of-age story. The rural Ohio setting feels very real, and the characters are quirkily interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing what Barzak does next.
There's so much stuff going on in this novel that it occasionally feels a bit bogged down, but in the end it's a wonderful coming-of-age story. The rural Ohio setting feels very real, and the characters are quirkily interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing what Barzak does next.
mbayne's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book I wanted to like more than I did. When professional reviewers say this is an original take on a ghost story, they are completely accurate. This doesn't follow ghost story tropes. It really is it's own thing, so I do want to commend the author on that. There is definitely originality, thought, and depth on the part of the author. These are all things I profess to like, but I just didn't find this book compelling. There were some passages that were really compelling to me but a lot that I ended up skimming. A lot of cool concepts, for example, how Adam (the main character) was giving words and stories to Jaimie (the ghost) to sustain him. Maybe what bothers me is that it didn't build up to one culminating point. It's a much more low key story.
Part of me wonders if what Adam was going through in the novel was supposed to be a metaphor for grief or depression, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable pressing that interpretation onto the story (although it makes the most sense to me). In conclusion, I feel like there is substance to One For Sorrow, but that it didn't connected to me as the reader.
Part of me wonders if what Adam was going through in the novel was supposed to be a metaphor for grief or depression, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable pressing that interpretation onto the story (although it makes the most sense to me). In conclusion, I feel like there is substance to One For Sorrow, but that it didn't connected to me as the reader.